Of Nicknames and Heroes
by angellwings
Summary: In which Laurel discovers someone is watching her. Maybe even protecting her.


**A/N: **Just watched the "Arrow" premiere and my Dinah/Ollie shipping alarms went CRAZY. I had to write a short _something_ for them, and this is what happened. Enjoy!

Happy reading!

angellwings

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Of Nicknames and Heroes

By angellwings

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She couldn't explain it, but lately…she'd felt like someone was watching her. As a woman, who often walked alone around Starling City, she should probably be extremely paranoid, but she wasn't. The eyes that were watching her didn't feel threatening or possessive. As strange as it may seem her stalker made her feel protected. It defied all logic as a judo trained, pepper spray carrying, women's defense class instructing member of the female sex, but the watchful eyes that seemed to follow her left her feeling comforted.

She was more curious than worried. Who was watching her exactly? Why were they interested in her? And, more importantly, was she delusional to think this mystery figure intended to protect her?

She turned a corner and bumped into a solid, broad chest. The comforted feeling was gone and the back of her neck suddenly prickled. The pit of her stomach knotted and she backed away with her eyes downcast. No sudden movements, she thought. Walk briskly. She gripped the handle of her bag tighter and cursed her pride. If it wasn't for that massive flaw Merlyn would have walked her home and she wouldn't have seemed so vulnerable to low life thugs.

A hand grabbed the underneath of her arm and gripped tightly. She grimaced and attempted to pull away but the hand merely tightened.

"I know you," The voice said with an audible smirk.

"I'm pretty sure you don't," Laurel said with a glare.

"Yeah," the man said as he feigned a thoughtful look. "I do. You're that lawyer chick who's sister went down with Queen."

His town was suggestive and his meaning insinuating something that made Laurel sick to her stomach.

"At least she went out with a bang, huh?"

"Let me go," Laurel sneered.

"You sure that's what you want? I think we could have just as much fun as Queen and your sister," He said as he pulled her closer and took a long whiff of her hair. Laurel grimaced and rolled her eyes. It was about time for her to cut through all the bull and show this creep just who he was dealing with when an arrow clipped his shoulder and sent him stumbling backwards into the street.

She immediately turned to the direction the arrow had come from and caught the glimpse of the green hood seconds before a solid intimidating body landed on the pavement beside of her.

"I could have handled him myself, you know," Laurel said instinctively. She followed it with a wince and an inward curse. There was that pride again. Shouldn't she have been thanking the man in the green hood? What was she doing?

"I know," He said in a deep gruff voice. "My way was just quicker."

"A couple of inches to the left and you could have killed him," Laurel said observantly.

"Maybe I meant to and I missed," the man in the hood suggested with a smirk.

"A man who's as elaborately dressed and armed as you are better not miss or else you just come across as ridiculous," Laurel said with a teasing grin.

He chuckled and nodded. "I'll remember that for the future."

"And I'll remember you," Laurel said with a small grin. "Any particular reason you've been following me, Robin Hood?"

"You're an exceptional woman with exceptional enemies. You might want to rethink your campaign against organized crime," The man warned her. "And while you're rethinking things, try rethinking walking around the city alone at night. For a smart woman, you're doing some not-so-intelligent things."

"Gee, thanks," Laurel said dryly.

"Just telling you the truth as a concerned observer," Her mysterious protector said as he put away his bow.

"I have to fight it. If I don't save the world then who will?" Laurel asked him pointedly.

"I will," He said in a steely determined tone.

"I believe you," Laurel said as she glanced at his hooded face for the first time. "Too bad you're determined to do that _outside_ of the law, Jolly Green Giant."

"You're fond of nicknames, aren't you?" He asked with an amused grin.

"Just trying to find the right one. If I keep trying I'll have to stumble onto one that fits," Laurel said with a smirk.

"You haven't found one yet," He told her. "But you get bonus points for effort."

"Is this going to be a regular thing now, Green Bean?" Laurel asked. "Are you my new green hooded body guard?"

"Not body guard exactly," He answered honestly as he turned away from her. "But I'll definitely be keeping an eye on you, Ms. Lance. I have to make sure that my city's best attorney stays safe."

Laurel smiled softly for a moment before her smile turned into a sarcastic lopsided grin. "My hero."

"Trust me," He said in a deadly serious tone. "I'm no hero. Never have been, never will be."

She watched him as he climbed up the fire escape in the alley and spoke quietly to herself. "We'll see about that. I have a feeling you're a lot closer to being a hero than you think, Prince of Thieves."


End file.
